Summary

Best Buddies Massachusetts (BBMA) is dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement where individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) are recognized for their abilities not their disabilities and where social inclusiveness becomes the norm, not the exception.

Mission Statement

Best Buddies Massachusetts (BBMA) is dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement where individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) are recognized for their abilities not their disabilities and where social inclusiveness becomes the norm, not the exception.

Revenue vs. Expense ($000s)

Expense Breakdown 2015 (%)

Expense Breakdown 2014 (%)

Expense Breakdown 2013 (%)

For more details regarding the organization's financial information, select the financial tab and review available comments.

Overview

Mission Statement

Best Buddies Massachusetts (BBMA) is dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement where individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) are recognized for their abilities not their disabilities and where social inclusiveness becomes the norm, not the exception.

Background Statement

Founded by Anthony Kennedy Shriver in 1989, Best Buddies International is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization that addresses the social isolation of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) by integrating them into all areas of life: schools, communities, and in employment. We impact tens of thousands of people per year: direct participants and their families, teachers, co-workers, classmates and neighbors.

In 1996, the Massachusetts office opened in Boston. Today, additional field offices are located in Amherst and Worcester. Operating under the belief that people with IDD should be recognized for their abilities, not disabilities, and that social inclusion should be the norm, not the exception, Best Buddies supports three key mission pillars; the Best Buddies Jobs program, the Best Buddies School Friendships program and Best Buddies Ambassadors.

Impact Statement

Best Buddies envisions a world where individuals with IDD are incorporated into all aspects of society, educationally, socially and professionally. The skills and services that we provide are designed to promote a sense of self worth, social well-being and belonging among our participants. Our ultimate goal – to put ourselves out of business. Until that time, we continue in our efforts to expand and increase awareness of the Best Buddies cause.

In the next five years Best Buddies is looking to grow our Massachusetts based Friendship and Jobs Programs through: a). The addition of 64 new school friendship chapters by 2017 and 196 chapters by 2020 school Friendship chapters by the year 2020; and b). Increasing our Jobs Participant capacity to accommodate 120 jobs participants in 2017 and 200 jobs participants by 2020.

In order to do this, we will need to expand our revenue base by 12-13% per year. This is a lofty goal, however, one that we feel is attainable through additional funding support, employee efficiency and extra diligence.

BBMA Accomplishments:

In December 2015, Best Buddies Massachusetts (BBMA) took in its 100th participant. Reaching this benchmark is the result of years of hard work, highlighted by the continued support of our generous funders who have been with us since our member base consisted of only 26 participants. This achievement was celebrated at our annual Evening of Opportunity gala in December, while we also took note of a few additional key achievements – reaching our 100 participant benchmark; expansion into Worcester, where we are currently working with 15 participants; securing our first ever Federal placement with the Federal Aviation Administration in June of 2015; expanding our partnership with the Boston Red Sox to include 10 seasonal employees; and lastly, recognizing 1 year, 5 year, 10 year and 15 year anniversaries of our Best Buddies participants.

Needs Statement

Expansion needs:

In the next five years Best Buddies is looking to grow our Massachusetts based Friendship and Jobs Programs through:

a). The addition of 64 new school friendship chapters by 2017 and 196 chapters by 2020 school Friendship chapters by the year 2020; and

Our average cost per school chapter is approximately $7,000. With regard to our Jobs program, our average cost per participant is roughly the same. While these averages remain constant, as our organization expands to take on additional school chapters and jobs participants, our operational needs will increase accordingly.

CEO Statement

Board Chair Statement

"Life has no greater joy than the satisfaction of contributing one’s time and energy to the enrichment of another person’s life; the act of giving is the most rewarding manner by which to conduct each of our lives. On behalf of the 900,000 individuals whose lives are impacted by Best Buddies, I extend our sincerest gratitude to all of our supporters, participants, volunteers, and staff and everyone who makes our mission possible.

Twenty-five years ago seemed like an eternity when I was in college and first started Best Buddies at Georgetown University. If someone had told me that 25 years later I’d see individuals with IDD working for an investment firm while earning $40,000 a year, participating in its pension plan and receiving full healthcare benefits; reporting for a national television show; testifying in front of Congress; and delivering the keynote address at an annual corporate conference in Silicon Valley, I would not have believed any of it.

I would like to applaud our participants with and without IDD, as well as their families, who prove each and every day that disabilities are a natural part of the world’s social fabric and that diversity enhances all of our lives.

Over the past 50 years, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have gained many rights that have improved their lives. Yet, our society is still far from inclusive. Tragically, a great number of people within the IDD community are stereotyped, marginalized and live life as an invisible minority, often times unemployed and without the simple joys of genuine friendships that others may take for granted.

This is where Best Buddies International comes into play. Best Buddies is the world’s largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people with IDD. For individuals within this community, Best Buddies serves as a lifeline to creating life-long friendships, securing successful jobs, living independently and feeling valued and respected by society."

Anthony Shriver - Founder and Chairman

Geographic Area Served

STATEWIDEIn 1996, the Massachusetts office opened in Boston. Today, additional field offices are located in Amherst and Worcester. We are in the process of expanding to other regions within Massachusetts, including the North and South Shore, while continuing to serve and grow in the areas where we already have roots.

Organization Categories

Human Services - Developmentally Disabled Services/Centers

Education - Special Education

Employment - Employment Preparation & Procurement

Independent research has been conducted on this organization's theory of change or on the effectiveness of this organization's program(s)

Yes

Programs

Best Buddies Ambassadors Program

The Best Buddies Ambassadors Program educates and empowers individuals with and without IDD to become leaders, public speakers and advocates for our mission of inclusion in schools, the workplace and in society.

People/Families with People of Developmental Disabilities Unemployed, Underemployed, Dislocated Adolescents Only (13-19 years)

Program Short-Term Success

At the school level, the Best Buddies Ambassadors program empowers youth to become advocates for people with IDD and help open new Best Buddies chapters and programs in their communities. Youth with and without IDD are provided opportunities to promote inclusion while gaining public speaking and leadership skills.

Program Long-Term Success

This leadership program offers our participants the opportunity to gain public speaking skills, self-esteem and confidence needed to successfully advocate for themselves, their peers and Best Buddies in communities, workplaces and government.

Program Success Monitored By

Success can be seen in our participants and ambassadors. Many of our ambassadors speak at public events on our behalf, sing the national anthem and are active as Best Buddies representatives in their local communities. These leaders have gained confidence and self worth allowing them to speak up at staff meetings, interact with people in outside schools and the workplace and go forth in society with a sense of belonging and usefulness.

Examples of Program Success

Ryan lives in an apartment in Dorchester with his mom and older brother. He takes the commuter rail to Davios Restaurant in Boston each day where he works as an assistant busser. He and his family live without modern day basics such as a home computer, but have benefited greatly from the services offered by the Best Buddies Jobs program. Ryan, currently 24, came to the Best Buddies Jobs program through his local high school chapter. The skills he has developed through Best Buddies have helped him to secure temporary work as a janitor and painter at his high school. When he received his very first Davios paycheck he was over the moon! He used his earnings to purchase an XBox. Recently, a coworker approached one of our Jobs Consultants and stated “Ryan is the best thing that ever happened to Davios!”

Best Buddies Jobs Program

The Best Buddies Jobs Program secures employment, training and support for individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). The services provided by the Jobs Program allows members to earn an income, pay taxes and interact with society on a professional level. We focus on individualized placements into roles that are non-traditional for this population. Many of our participants work in office settings rather than being relegated to isolated environments or workshops. Our members include individuals with autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, multiple disabilities and traumatic brain injury.

Our Employment
Consultants provide personalized services based on our members’ career goals
and abilities. These services include job readiness and skills training, social
skills coaching, job development, on the job training as well as long term,
on-going support.

Best Buddies Jobs currently supports 100 participants statewide and plans to serve an additional 20+ by year-end.

Our near term growth plan is to add 20 additional participants, reaching 120 participants by the end of 2017.

Program Long-Term Success

Our organization strives to serve all ages and abilities, particularly those from ethnically diverse and underprivileged backgrounds. Twenty-eight percent of Boston participants are African-American, and 5% are Hispanic. Less than 40% completed high school. Despite these challenges, and the challenges faced living with IDD generally, our participants have better than average wages and job longevity. In Boston, participants work an average of 20.08 hours per week with an average hourly salary of $14.22. Forty percent of these participants are between the ages of 20-29 and 32% are between the ages of 30-39. Our members are enthusiastic, hard working, reliable individuals who contribute positively to a company’s work environment.

Program Success Monitored By

Overall progress of the program is tracked using the following metrics:

Participant Satisfaction Survey: This survey is used to measure the satisfaction of participants and determine whether alternative placement is required.

Supervisor’s Evaluation: Best Buddies Jobs coach is in contact with the participant’s direct supervisor both personally and through a regularly documented and recorded employee evaluation.

Employer Evaluation: Best Buddies Jobs Department is in communication with the participant’s Human Resources Department to see whether there are any questions or concerns.

Funding Evaluation: To see if the government agencies we partner with have questions, suggestions or concerns.

The above statistics allows our jobs staff to keep tabs on resource and funding requirements and overall program reach. These metrics are also used to determine: Job Retention rate beyond one year, Average rate of pay and ability to meet and exceed goals as articulated by participants.

Examples of Program Success

The most convincing evidence of the success of our Program is found in the stories of our participants. One such story is that of a local Jobs participant, Ryan. Ryan lives in an apartment in Dorchester with his mom and older brother. He takes the commuter rail to Davios Restaurant in Boston each day where he works as an assistant busser. He and his family live without modern day basics such as a home computer, but have benefited greatly from the services offered by the Best Buddies Jobs program. Ryan, currently 24, came to the Best Buddies Jobs program through his local high school chapter. The skills he has developed through Best Buddies have helped him to secure temporary work as a janitor and painter at his high school. When he received his very first Davios paycheck he was over the moon! He used his earnings to purchase an XBox. Recently, a coworker approached one of our Jobs Consultants and stated “Ryan is the best thing that ever happened to Davios!”

Best Buddies School Friendship Program

Best Buddies School Friendship Program:

Our school friendship programs partner with middle schools, high schools, and colleges to establish Best Buddies chapters on their campuses. Each chapter consists of students with and without IDD who are paired in one-to-one friendships. Organized recreational events such as apple picking, pumpkin carving, friendship walks in addition to the annual, state sponsored, Best Buddies High School Prom, are a just few examples of the social opportunities provided to our members help foster these friendships.

Budget

$837,695.37

Category

Youth Development, General/Other Youth Development, General/Other

Population Served

Adolescents Only (13-19 years) People/Families with People of Developmental Disabilities Other Health/Disability

Program Short-Term Success

Based on our current staffing levels we have the capacity to add at least thirty additional chapters. Our near-term goal is to reach 175 middle school/high school chapters (current is 111) and 24 college chapters (current is 21) by the end of 2017.

Program Long-Term Success

The Best Buddies Friendship approach of creating socially inclusive school communities has proven to be successful over the years. Recent results of our annual survey, distributed to student participants, suggests that 96% students without IDD have a more positive attitude about their peers with IDD due to their participation in Best Buddies. Specifically, 96% of respondents reported that they were more aware that people with IDD can hold jobs in the community, 95% of volunteers would work at a company that employs people with IDD, and 98% noted that they would want their child to attend schools that include people with IDD. In addition to these responses from students, 93% of special education advisors reported that students with IDD are more socially integrated after participating in Best Buddies programming.

With regard to our Friendship Program, BBMA will continue to:

* Build upon our annual state events that promote the BBMA message of inclusion so that more and more individuals with IDD have access to our programs.

* Engage the community to create greater awareness and support for our members.

* Continue to develop relationships with foundations. Best Buddies staff are working with our Advisory Board and a broader network to better understand and leverage opportunities for local funding.

Program Success Monitored By

A successful chapter is one in which buddy
pairs communicate weekly and participate in one-to-one activities together
twice per month. We use three tools to evaluate effectiveness:

Friendship Update: This update is completed monthly and used to evaluate the quality of the friendships.

Mid- and End-Year Reports: These forms provide detail on chapter activities, number of matches, chapter goals, etc. Staff use them and information gathered from communication, observation, and monthly chapter visits to complete their own comprehensive Mid- and End-Year Reports for each chapter.

Annual Survey: Developed by Michael Hardman, Ph.D., Dean of Education, University of Utah, the annual survey analyzes whether participants enjoyed their experience, whether they would recommend it to others, and whether they gained a better understanding of the challenges faced by people with IDD.

Examples of Program Success

Based on 2014 survey results we anticipate that 91% of participants without IDD will report that they are more aware that people with IDD can hold jobs in the community. In addition, 95% of the participants with IDD will recommend participation in Best Buddies to others. And, finally, 95% of participants without IDD will support having neighbors with IDD.

CEO/Executive Director/Board Comments

One of the biggest challenges facing the Best Buddies Organization is the general perception of BBMA and what it is we actually do. Most associate the term “Buddy” in our organization name, as simply meaning friendship or Tom Brady. And, while Tom Brady is our ideal spokesperson and Friendship is a primary component of what we do, there is so much more to it, both from an organizational and financial standpoint. Our average cost per school chapter is approximately $7,000. BBMA is continually striving to create greater awareness of our programs beginning at the middle school level and carrying over into our Jobs Program. Spreading the message of inclusion is one thing. However, getting everyone on board, individuals, schools and employers, alike, requires great effort – one which we are proud to undertake. As we continue to expand, so does our message. We have outlined ambitious, yet achievable, goals for our organization over the next five years and we are extremely grateful for the funding opportunities afforded us in order to further prevail in these endeavors.

Management

Craig Welton, State Director, has served as the Executive Director of the Massachusetts office since 2008. Under his leadership, the Best Buddies Massachusetts Jobs Program has grown from serving 26 participants in Boston in 2008 to more than 100 throughout Greater Boston and Worcester in 2016. This growth is due in large part to Craig's ability to build relationships with relevant government agencies, employer partners, and other transition and employment organizations. Craig holds a Masters of Public Administration and Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from Duke University.

Co-CEO

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Senior Staff

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Title

Experience/Biography

Mrs. Kimberly Cortes

Director of State Operations and Programs

Kim Cortes joined Best Buddies in 2016 and had amassed an impressive background of achievements and professional experience including public sector work and most recently corporate litigation. As the Director of Operations and Programs, Kim is responsible for staff management, billing and the strategic planning associated with the growth of our Jobs Program.

Awards

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Affiliations

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Member of state association of nonprofits?

No

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External Assessments and Accreditations

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Collaborations

BBMA does not have any formal affiliations however, we partner with Cardinal Cushing, the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services and Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, in addition to more than 100 school districts and community based host-sites.

CEO/Executive Director/Board Comments

One of the biggest challenges facing the Best Buddies Organization is the general perception of BBMA and what it is we actually do. Most associate the term “Buddy” in our organization name, as simply meaning friendship or Tom Brady. And, while Tom Brady is our ideal spokesperson and Friendship is a primary component of what we do, there is so much more to it, both from an organizational and financial standpoint. Our average cost per school chapter is approximately $7,000. BBMA is continually striving to create greater awareness of our programs beginning at the middle school level and carrying over into our Jobs Program. Spreading the message of inclusion is one thing. However, getting everyone on board, individuals, schools and employers, alike, requires great effort – one which we are proud to undertake. As we continue to expand, so does our message. We have outlined ambitious, yet achievable, goals for our organization over the next five years and we are extremely grateful for the funding opportunities afforded us in order to further prevail in these endeavors.

Short Term Solvency

Long Term Solvency

Fiscal Year

2015

2014

2013

Long-term Liabilities/Total Assets

0%

0%

0%

CEO/Executive Director/Board Comments

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Foundation Comments

Financial summary data in the charts and graphs above is per the nonprofit and reflects the organization's Massachusetts Chapter. The 990s and audits posted above reflect Best Buddies International, Inc.

Documents

Other Documents

No Other Documents currently available.

Impact

The Impact tab is a section on the Giving Common added in October 2013; as such the majority of nonprofits have not yet had the chance to complete this voluntary section. The purpose of the Impact section is to ask five deceptively simple questions that require reflection and promote communication about what really matters – results. The goal is to encourage strategic thinking about how a nonprofit will achieve its goals. The following Impact questions are being completed by nonprofits slowly, thoughtfully and at the right time for their respective organizations to ensure the most accurate information possible.

1. What is your organization aiming to accomplish?

In the next five years Best Buddies is looking to grow our Massachusetts based Friendship and Jobs Programs through: a). The addition of 64 new school friendship chapters by 2017 and 196 chapters by 2020 school Friendship chapters by the year 2020; and b). Increasing our Jobs Participant capacity to accommodate 120 jobs participants in 2017 and 200 jobs participants by 2020.

In order to do this, we will need to expand our revenue base by 12-13% per year. This is a lofty goal, however, one that we feel is attainable through additional funding support, employee efficiency and extra diligence.

Best Buddies envisions a world where individuals with IDD are incorporated into all aspects of society, educationally, socially and professionally. The skills and services that we provide are designed to promote a sense of self worth, social well-being and belonging among our participants. Our ultimate goal – to put ourselves out of business. Until that time, we continue in our efforts to expand and increase awareness of the Best Buddies cause.

2. What are your strategies for making this happen?

Friendship Program Growth Strategy

In our effort to grow our Friendship and Jobs programs Best Buddies Massachusetts has initiated two, key strategies: More efficient use of our employee base through a recent re-organization as well as expansion in to new areas throughout the state (detailed below).

Expansion Initiative/Personnel Restructure:

In the last year we promoted two of our Friendship Consultants to supervisors to help support the growth and expansion of our school chapters. We have also hired one, full-time and one part-time program manager to further support these efforts. Based on our current staffing levels we have the capacity to add at least thirty additional chapters. Our goal, to reach 275 middle school/high school chapters and 41 college chapters by 2020, will require 3-5 additional chapter consultants.

Jobs Program Growth Strategy:

Expansion Initiative/Personnel Restructure:

Best Buddies Jobs currently supports 100 participants statewide and plans to serve an additional 20+ by year-end. Our Jobs program supported by a deputy director who oversees seven employment consultants, four of which are in Boston, one is through our Cardinal Cushing partnership in Hanover, and two who oversee our Worcester area participants. The current employee structure allows us to support our expected near term growth. In order to meet our long-term growth goal of 275 chapters, 41 colleges and 200 citizen matches (annual 12% growth rate) by 2020, we are looking to hire 3 additional employment consultants.

A secondary goal of the BBMA Jobs Program is to increase the spectrum of employment opportunities, as opposed to traditional roles, while continuing to build upon our employer partnerships in the Greater Boston area. Best Buddies is continuing to work with our current employer partners and board members to identify new opportunities and supporters. During the upcoming project period, we expect to grow our list of employer alliances while facilitating job procurement for our entering participants into non-traditional settings such as law firms, financial institutions., hospitality and entertainment. We will ensure our placements are meeting and exceeding the expectations of our employers and members both quantitatively and qualitatively through various satisfaction surveys (detailed below).

3. What are your organization’s capabilities for doing this?

Friendship Program Approach and Capabilities:

Best Buddies Massachusetts has a strong track record of securing funding from multiple sources to ensure the long-term sustainability of our programs. The sustainability plan for Massachusetts will include the following:

* Continue to build upon our annual state events that promote the BBMA message of inclusion; engages the community; and raises significant funds.

* Continue to develop relationships with foundations. Best Buddies staff are working with our Advisory Board and a broader network to better understand and leverage opportunities for local funding.

Regarding staffing, an effort to position ourselves for further growth of our Friendship program, BBMA has undergone a recent re-structuring to ensure more efficient use of our employee base. Our existing School Chapter Programs are supported by six Program Managers. Four of these managers operate out of our Eastern office, one in our Central office, and one is in Western Massachusetts. They are supported by two program supervisors.

Jobs Program Approach and Capabilities:Best Buddies Massachusetts has a long history of securing diverse revenue streams to support the Jobs Program. Only 35% of the annual budget comes from Special Events, specifically, the Best Buddies Challenge. This event is a national fundraiser to support national/international expansion, and less than 8% of the funds raised go to Best Buddies Massachusetts.

Forty two percent of the Jobs Program budget comes from our fee-for-service state contracts with Department of Developmental Services and the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission. These contracts are negotiated on a yearly basis and continue to grow as we add new participants. Roughly 50% of this state funding applies only to the first 90 days of employment, and only 44 of our 75 Boston participants are eligible for any state funding at all. Best Buddies is committed to providing ongoing support to ensure the success of our participants. To maximize this funding, we regularly review our list of participants without state funding for changes in eligibility should funding become available. Nevertheless, as our program grows, sustaining this level of support for our increased caseloads can be challenging. Best Buddies Massachusetts is addressing the challenge of providing continued services, long after contracted fee-for service has ended, by continuing to build and grow relationships with foundations and private donors.

4. How will your organization know if you are making progress?

Measurement Tools – Friendship Program:

A successful chapter is one in which buddy pairs communicate weekly and participate in one-to-one activities together twice per month. We use three tools to evaluate effectiveness:

Friendship Update: This update is completed monthly and used to evaluate the quality of the friendships.

Annual Survey: Developed by Michael Hardman, Ph.D., Dean of Education, University of Utah, the annual survey analyzes whether participants enjoyed their experience, whether they would recommend it to others, and whether they gained a better understanding of the challenges faced by people with IDD. As described above, the BBMA methods of evaluation allow us to assess whether our organization is successfully creating increased socialization and inclusion opportunities for individuals IDD. These evaluation methods measure outcomes, objectively and quantitatively (number of contacts and group events), as well as subjectively and qualitatively (quality of contacts and events, and participants’ suggestions for improvement).

Measurement Tools – Jobs Program:

The success of the Jobs Program is defined by job retention rates and participant/employer satisfaction levels, as measured through our Outcome Management System (OMS). Annually, employers and participants are asked to complete our Participant Satisfaction Surveys, which addresses questions regarding efficiency and helpfulness pertaining to the Jobs Program and staff. We track participant data including demographic and employment history in our online database, SET-works. This information allows us to monitor our participants over the length of their involvement with Best Buddies Jobs and track the diversity of individuals we serve. Overall progress is tracked using the following metrics:

Participant Satisfaction Survey: This survey is used to measure the satisfaction of participants and determine whether alternative placement is required.

Supervisor’s Evaluation: A Best Buddies Jobs coach is in contact with the participant’s direct supervisor both personally and through a regularly documented and recorded employee evaluation.

Employer Evaluation: Best Buddies Jobs Department is in communication with the participant’s HR Department to see whether there are any questions or concerns.

Funding Evaluation: To see if the government agencies we partner with have questions, suggestions or concerns.

Regular and Ongoing Review of Participation, Employer and Job Placement Statistics: These statistics allows our jobs staff to keep tabs on resource and funding requirements and overall program reach. These metrics are also used to determine: job retention rate beyond one year, average rate of pay and ability to meet and exceed goals as articulated by participants.

5. What have and haven’t you accomplished so far?

Since the opening of our Massachusetts office in
1996, BBMA has accomplished a great deal. We currently operate Friendship
chapters in 23 middle schools, 88 high schools, and on 21 college campuses
throughout the state, creating mutually enriching one-to-one friendships
between students with and without IDD. We have trained over 50 individuals with
IDD to be ambassadors. Lastly, we support over 100 people with IDD locate and
maintain integrated employment throughout the Greater Boston and Worcester
communities. BBMA has 6,000- participants in our programs, and annually impacts
the lives of 60,000 people throughout the state including participants’
families, friends, teachers and peers.

What we know for certain is that we still have a long way to go. Regarding our Friendship chapters, there are over 50 schools on our waiting list who are seeking BBMA chapter support. As for our Jobs Program, 42% of the Program budget comes from our fee-for-service state contracts with Department of Developmental Services and the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission. These contracts are negotiated on a yearly basis and continue to grow as we add new participants. As previously stated, roughly 50% of this state funding applies only to the first 90 days of employment, and only 44 of our 85 Boston participants are eligible for any state funding at all. Best Buddies is committed to providing ongoing support to ensure the success of our participants. To maximize this funding, we regularly review our list of participants without state funding for changes in eligibility should funding become available. Nevertheless, as our program grows, sustaining this level of support for our increased caseloads can be challenging. Best Buddies Massachusetts is addressing the challenge of providing continued services, long after contracted fee-for service has ended, by continuing to build and grow relationships with foundations and private donors.

The most convincing evidence of the success of our Program, however, can be found in stories from our participants: Ryan lives in an apartment in Dorchester with his mom and older brother. He takes the commuter rail to Davio’s Restaurant in Boston each day, where he works as an assistant busser. He and his family live without modern day basics such as a home computer, but have benefited greatly from the services offered by the Best Buddies Jobs program. Ryan, currently 24, came to the Best Buddies Jobs program through his local high school chapter. The skills he has developed through Best Buddies have helped him to secure previous, temporary work as a janitor and painter at his high school. When he received his very first Davio’s paycheck he was over the moon! Ryan will be honored at our annual Evening of Opportunity Gala for his dedication and exemplary work.